In the northern hemisphere the ski season takes in a number of key dates in the calendar – Christmas, New Year and Easter of course, along with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Depending on which country you live in there may be other dates too, most US resorts try to open for Thanksgiving in late November and Spain and Andorra have no end of extra holidays around December and January connected to the Christmas story.
Ireland doesn’t really have any ski areas (OK there are a few dry slopes and you can hike up a hill on a snowy day of course) but it has had a major influence on ski holidays. For one thing, I’ve counted up more than 100 Irish pubs now in ski areas around the world from Canada to Japan and for the other, EVERYBODY loves St Patrick’s Day.
Coming as it does towards the end of the season, just as spring is kicking off, it’s a great excuse for a fun day on the slopes.
Green Eggs in New England
We should perhaps re-christen New England ‘New Ireland’ on the 17th as the huge number of Americans-of-Irish-Descent, along with everybody else, including a few actual Irish people, go crazy for St Paddy’s day.
If you’re in the region on a ski trip you’ll find most ski areas are dying their beer and even their slopes green (yes, a run coloured green, not just a green run).
Alas, the most Irish-obsessed of them all, Ski Brodie in Massachusetts, has closed down, but plenty of others have stayed the course and $17 (about £12) lift pass deals for the day are a particular favourite at several areas in the region.
Mount Snow in Vermont is now arguably the leading St Patrick’s Day ski destination running an all-day celebration attracting “10,000 people you don’t know to one huge party.” It all kicks off at 8am with the traditional green eggs served for breakfast, yummy.
At Okemo Resort, also in Vermont, cut-out shamrocks will be hidden along Okemo’s trails. When kids find one and bring it back to the Clocktower Base Lodge Ski + Ride School desk, they win a special prize bag filled with goodies.
Later in the day a St. Patrick’s Day Party sponsored by Guinness will feature musical guests Gypsy Reel from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Sitting Bull Bar & Restaurant. The party continues at The Killarney with more Celtic music and Guinness on draft.
St. Practice Day
The Dubh Linn Gate Irish pub in Whistler is one of the most popular of the famous resort’s 200 or so restaurants and bars. In 1997, and the Dubh Linn Gate Pub was designed, crafted, and transported piece by piece across the pond to the Pan Pacific Whistler in British Columbia.
Offering three separate happy hours between 9am and 1am (none of them only an hour) and claiming the biggest drinks selection in town, St Patrick’s Day is such a big deal here they already ran a ‘St Practice Day’ to build up to the big one, on March 10th, a week before it happens.
Next Friday you can expect the usual mix of good cheer, food, drink and music taken to an XL level, and then some.
Dress Green
Parties will of course be happening in Irish pubs (and most other bars) in ski resorts around the world.
At The Black Sheep, an Irish pub in St Johann im Pongau in Salzburgerland, Austria, the only requirement for admittance to their party is that you “dress green.”
Along with Jameson and Guinness specials and giveaways the bar promises their signature green beer will be on offer.
“Celebrate with us the Paddy Night!” said a pub spokesperson.
The Highest Guinness
Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens in France, is home to no less than two Irish bars, offering the chance to drink the ‘highest draught Guinness’ in Europe.
Choose between the Shamrock in the rue du soleil and O’ Connells in rue Gebroulaz (a.k.a “Thirsty Street”).
Both have wide ranging drinks selections (Kilkenny as well as Guinness), sports on TV and a big party night planned next Friday.
